10th ANNUAL CELEBRATION
In 2014, New Carlisle Hometown Days celebrated its 10th annual festival. In honor of the milestone, The Championship published three Top 10 lists that looked back on the tournament's history beginning in 2005. These lists were compiled prior to the 2014 Championship and therefore do not reflect that year's or any subsequent years' results. Scroll through below to see the Top 10 Games, Top 10 Teams, and Top 10 Players that were recognized for the tournament's first decade.
NEWTS 29, SPEEDY'S CHICKENHEADS 28 (7 INNINGS)
2008 Championship Game
It's only fitting that the two teams at the top of the all-time rankings played what is widely considered the greatest WIFFLE ball game ever. Newts and Speedy's have met three times in tournament history, with the Newts winning by a run each time. With the 2008 Championship on the line, these two slugged it out for 7 innings before the Newts finally held on for the title.
TACO PUNCHERS 18, WARRIORS 17
2012 Semifinals
The 2012 runners-up Taco Punchers began the weekend piecing together a roster on Saturday morning. Nothing could sum up their wild weekend quite like their semifinal win over the Warriors. Cult West hit 14 homers in the game, but it wasn't enough. Trailing by four heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Taco Punchers rallied for a five-run inning, capped by a three-run walkoff home run by Denis Jedrysek.
MAGIC 12, AMBASSADORS OF PLASTIC 11
2013 Elite Eight
Perhaps the highest-pressure games in the City Championship come in the Elite Eight round, as a trip to Migley is at stake. These two teams met in the same round in 2011. Looking to avenge that loss, the Magic led throughout. Zach Liberatore put Maple City up three late with a two-run double. It was just enough insurance, as the Ambassadors' walkoff hopes fell just short of the centerfield fence.
NEWTS 9, EMERY'S ARMY 8
2008 Elite Eight
The Newts were far from dominant during their 2008 title run, with four of their six wins decided by one run. Emery's Army was an out away from eliminating New Carlisle in the Elite Eight, when outfielder Matt Zakrzewski dropped the potential final out over the fence for a game-tying home run. Koby Keck eventually hit a walkoff, and the Newts survived. The game sparked an incredible rivalry in the ORWBL that continues to this day.
SPEEDY'S CHICKENHEADS 15, KLRC 14
2009 Pool Play
These two teams played in a loaded ORWBL East Division in 2009. Despite very successful seasons, neither made the postseason. However, their pool play meeting in the City Championship had all the drama of playoff WIFFLE ball. Down eight in the fifth, Speedy's homered eight consecutive times to tie the game. While KLRC answered with a solo shot in the sixth, JD Gaylor delivered a two-run walkoff in the bottom half.
THE MUFFS 8, LOU BROCK 7
2012 Pool Play
Over the years, The Muffs have quite possibly played the toughest schedule of any team in the tournament. In 2012, they beat two teams which went on to the Hometown Cup Finals. Both games were classics, especially their win over eventual champion Lou Brock. The Muffs held the lead until a six-run fifth by Lou Brock. The Muffs roared back with three in the bottom of the sixth, capped by a Seth Shail walkoff homer.
ONE AND A HALF MEN 1, LOONEY WIFFLERS 0 (8 INNINGS)
2012 Pool Play
With John Arndt out with a knee injury sustained in ORWBL play, the Looney Wifflers played plenty of tight, low-scoring games in 2012. Their pool play classic with One and a Half Men went scoreless into the eighth, before Tommy Sinkiewicz drove in Scott Bartley from third to score the game's only run. The wind at Brandon Hora Field was howling in the entire game.
YTS 4, MELONHEADS 2
2013 Sweet Sixteen
Both YTS and the Melonheads were making their first appearance in the City Championship, and both finished Saturday's pool play with 3-1 records. The matchup between these two powerhouses lived up to the billing. Mike Mitchell broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth with a three-run homer. On defense, Brandon Anderson robbed a potential three-run homer, which is simply known as "The Catch."
SHOCKERS 7, TEAM RAMROD 6 (10 INNINGS)
2007 Pool Play
In what is believed to be the longest game in tournament history, the Shockers clinched first place in their pool and kept Team Ramrod from advancing to Sunday's finals. The 10-inning affair was a fierce battle between two WIFFLE ball titans Jared Emmons and Marc Lindsey. Emmons, whose teams always seem to dominate the pool play rounds, came out on top in this matchup.
THE 4 AMIGOS v. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE
2006 Pool Play
The WIFFLE ball version of the infamous Black Sox Scandal, this pool play game (of which the final score is not even known) should have been unremarkable. However, Tyler Cox of Great Balls of Fire purposely threw the game in exchange for an elephant ear from one of the festival food booths. The agreement was made with Drew Luther of the Amigos, who went on to a runner-up finish.
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